Rooftops and Invitations
by Wolfs
Summary: This is a one shot songfic based on the song "Rooftops and Invitations" by Dashboard Confessional. It takes a jab at the spaces between the lines that are Miyuki and Shion after the ending of the anime.


Please do yourself a favour and get a hold of the song used in this fic – "_Rooftops and Invitations_" by Dashboard Confessional (Dusk and Summer album). Dashboard is my all-time favourite band and I think Chris Carraba has a beautiful way of toying with a listener's emotions with his song writing. This is one of the happier songs in his repertoire.

Of course, I don't own anything or anyone, just the idea and imagination. I originally started writing this as a sort of prequel for my other (crack) fic, One Night, but it turned out a bit more serious and intense, so I changed the circumstances a bit as well. So it's not a prequel anymore, but rather an exploration of what could have been rather interesting. I had to play with it to see if it could work on some level. All from Miyuki's POV.

Anyway… Enjoy.

* * *

**When I drew my fingers back to my face they were entangled in a mess of golden tresses, as refined as silk and smelling faintly of apples and sunshine. I had no idea what I was doing right then, but I couldn't help myself. I wanted her. I needed her. I craved her like a hungry wolf craves the fresh flesh of a bloody deer. She pulled back from our friendly embrace, but I could find no friendship in her eyes. Instead the darkness they held explained in perfect silence that I was most definitely not alone in my amorous impulse.**

* * *

It was a sunny day in early March, the slightest reminder of the past winter creeping in the cool breeze. It swept through the sakura trees and made the pink blossoms dance circles around chattering girls, animating their emotions in an ethereal aura. I sighed deeply and smiled, knowing that I would miss this - all of this. The way the sun reflected off the lake, illuminating the chapel in a holy glow. The sound of excited girls creating a loud din that sweetly hung over the entire campus. The way the first years were always prone to bumping into you as they tried to navigate their new surroundings. The way the older girls would communicate with knowing glances their secret passions. I was even going to miss the paperwork of being president and running after a wayward E'toille. I was going to miss it all, as the rogue tear that slid down my cheek reminded me forcefully. One wipe, however, and it was gone, making way for the calm mask everyone always expected me to wear. It was such a heavy, tiring thing, but I needed it then more than ever. With graduation looming, my unavoidable nuptials were staring me in the face. It didn't feel real. It still does not.

After school I found myself standing on the shore of the lake, simply staring sightlessly into the distance as if perhaps I would find meaning there. I contemplated my sanity in agreeing to my suitor, and I contemplated my insanity were I to change my mind. Dishonour my family or dishonour my heart? There was error in both, but which was worse? The questions I asked myself were always the same, and the answers were always ever elusive. I must have dwelt there in silence for several long minutes as I could feel the tell-tale ache in my legs from the exertion as soon as I was drawn from my reverie. The noise that had captured my attention had come from a trio of Spicans wandering through the forest, along a small footpath to the library. I would normally pay them no mind, but as I was about to avert my gaze, a pair of violet eyes trapped it in place. I was not confused by my heart's sudden drumming, or the moisture collecting on the palms of my hands. I was irritated, as I often suffered the same effect when faced with the ice queen of Astrea Hill.

Our rivalry had always been unparalleled in all the schools, aside perhaps from her rivalry with my dearest friend. Especially during our senior year, our interactions could more often than not have been described as brutally cold, and most of it could have been attributed to the E'toille. Shion envied Miatre's success and hated how Shizuma seemed to sully the coveted title with her aloof behaviour and her shirking of responsibilities. Furthermore, Shion had despised my method, or lack thereof, of dealing with Shizuma. Shion could never marry Miatre's success with its supposed lack of professionalism. It drove her crazy. Yet as of late, ever since the crowning of the new E'toille couple, that fiery competitiveness had been increasingly subdued. Perhaps she let it go, recognising no need for it anymore, especially not now that the coveted E'toille title belonged to Spica. I certainly saw no need - our class was about to graduate and leave whatever legacies we had created behind. All had been said and done.

She blinked a few times as she had paused and watched me, a certain hint of hesitancy etched into her expression. She had seemed confused then, which had confused me. I was not familiar, back then and even now, with the vulnerable side of Shion. It captivated me. She was so beautiful in that simple moment, hair dancing freely in the afternoon breeze, the warm sun's gentle rays piercing the cool forest shade all around her, her lips slightly parted and her eyes...her eyes... I felt myself drawn to her eyes. It was not just their almost unnatural colouring or their otherwise aesthetic value, but rather the unspoken words they uttered. In that moment there was a certain sense of understanding between Shion and I, an understanding that spanned 6 years of petty arguments and heated confrontations. An understanding that, in that hallowed moment, shed the shackles of grudges and hatred and gave birth to a sort of tenderness.

All too soon the moment had passed and I watched her gaze prepare to part from mine, eventually averting and cast to the ground as she walked off with her friends. My first impulse was to call out to her, but as I opened my mouth no sound would escape. I was suddenly not only mute, but deaf as well as the only resounding sound in my ears was my racing heart. I lifted my hands to look at my palms and the moisture was visibly glistening on them. I always thought that I hid it so well, but then already I could feel my resolve crumbling. Was there not love in enmity, if the two are made of the very same substance that sets our souls alight? That very substance - passion - was coursing violently through my veins in that very moment. "Shion..." I finally whispered to her once she was out of earshot, "We need to talk...Please come back." The words were carried off by the breeze like feathers drifting towards heaven but ultimately falling short. I sighed and turned my face from the sun, my feet falling in the direction of the dorms.

* * *

_The first time you looked_

_At her curves you were hooked_

_And the glances you took_

_Took hold of you_

_And demanded that you stay_

* * *

Later that evening I had found myself sitting at my desk in my room, somehow drawing comfort from its small confines. I longed to remain in my makeshift cell for at least another year, longing to cling to its protective intentions. My cell expected nothing of me, and requested nothing. It was just there in its silent fortitude, bidding me merely to stay at my leisure. I was well into womanhood, but never had I felt more like a child. In my hands I held a letter from my father with the details of the arrangements that have been made for me after graduation. It was not even a friendly letter, it felt more like a business contract in its strict formalities. But then again, isn't that exactly what this marriage was - a business contract? And I was a mere commodity to be traded as deemed fit by the men of this world, purely for their own gains. It sickened me to my stomach.

A knock soon echoed through the room, startling me from my brooding thoughts. I did not want to answer as I could not bear to deal with another girl's problems at that moment. But another, more urgent knock urged me to wipe my eyes and open the door. That enchanting violet gaze captured me for the second time that day and for a brief moment I was even too enraptured to seem confused at the unexpected visit. The appropriate expression must have scrawled its way onto my face soon enough, however, as Shion arched one quizzical brow at me. "Is it so unbelievable that I would be at your door?" She was confident and found perhaps just the slightest bit of enjoyment at my reaction. I knew this because she had that trademark self-satisfied smirk on her lips as she casually slid past me, inviting herself into my sanctuary.

"How may I help you?" I didn't bother with any honorific, not feeling comfortable with calling her by her given name, but even less comfortable with being formal. My emotions would not allow me the grace to be decent. "I'm looking for Hanozono-san." She spoke ever so casually and I both admired and despised her ability to keep her composure so well when my own was coming undone. "You have the wrong room." I tried not to sound hostile, but I doubt I succeeded. Luckily it seemed like she was in good spirits. "Clearly. I thought she might be here since her own room is dark. I saw the light from beneath your door and thought I'd try my luck." She was so at ease, but even so, I could sense her will faltering just the tiniest amount as she explained herself. "Yet you knocked at my door despite the absence of any voices coming from it? Which of your two conclusions was more foolhardy then?" I became emboldened by my discomfort. Moving over to my desk I reached for my letter and swiftly folded it before sliding it into the small, discreet pocket of my school uniform. "Are you implying something, Miyuki-san?" She was irritated, I could tell, but she kept her temper well in control as she dared a few steps closer to where I was standing, meeting me eye to eye. "I'm implying that you probably knew that Shizuma is likely with Nagisa-san." I lifted my gaze and challenged her where we stood. I couldn't allow her the upper hand in this awkward little dance, damnit! I wanted her to submit, not necessarily to me, but to whatever emotions I saw running rampant through her eyes. I refused to allow her to remain behind that wall of ice forever. She glared at me vehemently, but only for a brief few seconds, then I could see her dear facade come crashing down in gorgeous flames and fiery sparks all around her. I had to catch my breath at the sight, at that same beauty I saw earlier by the lake, at the revelation that even the ice queen of Astrea had a vulnerable side to her.

She lowered her gaze almost shamefully and once again pushed past me, this time coming to a standstill at my window. With her back turned to me I took a moment to rub my eyes and wipe my hand over my face as if trying to settle my mask back in place, yet unsure of its necessity. I'd be a hypocrite, expecting raw honesty from Shion when I wasn't willing to do the same. So I sadly let the metaphorical mask drop to the floor, crushing it beneath my step as I moved to stand beside her. "I'll ask again," she whispered softly in my general direction, though her eyes remained fixed at the general darkness outside my window, "is it so hard to believe that I'd want to be here?" Was it hard to believe so? I mean, after all, it's what I wanted - for her to come back and talk, as I had wished down by the lake earlier that day. "Perhaps I'm just weary of the intention of your visit. I haven't come to expect good things between us through the years. You know this to be true as much as I do. Some days especially, more than others, I simply don't have the strength to match tempers with you." I was as honest as my pride would allow, and the taste was bitter in my mouth. "Then perhaps you should know that I'm here on peaceful terms." She paused and audibly took a deep breath, then turned to face me and continued once it seemed like she had prepared herself for whatever words were to follow. "Not only peaceful terms, but also terms of reconciliation, if you find such a thing acceptable." My ears were burning from the words she spoke, unsure of whether they were real or imagined, and it was difficult for me to hide my mirth. The great ice queen of Astrea wants to reconcile. The beautiful ice queen wants to reconcile with me. I subconsciously wiped my damp palms along the fabric of my uniform and considered her for a few silent moments. I must have seemed accommodating, as soon Shion was smiling at me. Not a smile of politeness or forced civility, but a genuine, radiating smile. It, along with the bright glimmer of what seemed like hope in her eyes, bespoke her true desire to carry through with the words she had spoken. I finally relaxed, and returned her smile with an open heart.

"So just like that and it's done? Six years of an unfathomable rivalry ended with a few gentle words?" My speech was light in pace, tone and intention, not wishing for her to take offense in any way. It worked, I noticed with a speeding heart, as she giggled. She giggled! Who knew Shion could giggle? I was utterly confused and utterly amazed at this girl before me; a whole new person. Before I knew it, I was chuckling along to the melodious quality of her giggle, and to my ears it sounded like beautiful music. "I guess so. All parties are guilty of something and it would be petty to take stock now. There are a lot of things I want to leave behind in my wake, but this animosity is not one of those things. When I think back to Astrea in ten or twenty years from now, I want to recall how it was good at the start, and perhaps even better at the very end." I had no wisdom to add to her declaration, it was already perfect in and of itself. I had almost forgotten how elegant Shion could be. How elegant she was. I simply nodded and slowly reached out my hand in an effort to seal the deal with a gentle touch, returning the verbal exchange by changing the topic to something less intense; "So why were you looking for Shizuma?" She was clearly amused at my, perhaps, rather daft question and shook her head as she took my hand in order to return the friendly gesture. "You still believe that I was really looking for her? Come now, Miyuki-san. I know you to be a woman of credible intelligence. Don't disappoint me now."

I registered what she was saying, but was wholly distracted by her purposefully lingering touch to my tingling hand. Then, she stepped closer, and her fingertips trailed along my palm as she slowly pulled her hand back. My breath caught in my throat as I watched her lean closer still, my stomach burning from the sickening excitement I felt. What if I'm mistaken, though? What if I'm reading her wrong and not judging her actions accurately? What if the electricity I feel is merely my own body mocking me? I could not bear it, not now, not tonight! "I feel I have embarrassed myself then. Perhaps the exhaustion of the day is catching up to me and filling my mind." I inhaled sharply as I pulled back from her and abruptly moved across the room, turning to face her with my hands clasped nervously before me. I had every intention of leading her to the door, even though my emotions were screaming at me to fulfil my desires. I couldn't. How could I dare complicate things for us now? I had to retain my strength of will, for both our sakes. "I thank you kindly with the deepest gratitude for your words. I do hope we can perhaps share a cup of tea together before our final day."

She looked down at her hand that was now devoid of mine and the look in her eyes could best only be described as painful. I felt my stomach knot. I had made the wrong decision. "Sure, tea..." She trailed off absentmindedly, but soon I could feel the full force of her angry gaze on me. "I really did misjudge you. Forget it, it's my own folly for thinking...for assuming..." She faltered. Beautiful. Breath-taking. "Just... Forget it!" Her cheeks flushed a glowing scarlet as she swiftly pushed past me and out the door, slamming it as she went. I hesitated. What now? I messed up! What now? I'm such an idiot! What now? Oh god... I plucked open the door, ready to call out to her to stop, but she was gone.

* * *

_And sunk in their teeth_

_Bit your heart and released_

_Such a charge that you need_

_Another touch_

_Another taste_

_Another fix_

* * *

I was so unsure. Was it worth finding her? Was it within my power to make things right? Was it within my power to not let her intended reconciliation go to waste? But the question that vexed me more than anything was whether it was within my power to give her what she wanted. I was still, perhaps foolishly, unsure of what exactly it was that she wanted. I was even more confused about what I, myself, wanted. I couldn't help but think that we were messing with the natural order of things, that we were putting on a show of childish naivety with our intentions towards each other. She had her place in the world and I had mine, and our spheres were never supposed to overlap. They had clashed too many times to count, but how could the one absorb the other, other than in a violent and oppressive manner? She was strong and independent and possessed the social freedom that would lead her to great glory as an established female in her own right in society. No social freedom would be accosted to me, as I was always painfully reminded of my status as a mere social commodity in the world of men. If we were to transgress our roles, we would be playing with a fire so strong that it could very well destroy us both.

My musings were interrupted where I occupied the floor in front of Shion's door. She was not there and I must have seemed a sorry sight as I sat slumped with my back against the hard wood, head in my hands. "Do my eyes deceive me, or is this one Rokoujo-sama daring an audience with my dear ex-president?" Daring was a very accurate way of describing my actions and I thought the honey-blonde before me rather perceptive in her observation. She always was too clever for her own good and the good of those around her. "Kiyashiki-san, forgive me my petulance when I say that I do believe it is none of your concern." I was in no mood for her tricks, and yet she insisted on lowering herself to her haunches before me to meet my wavering gaze. "Forgive me my intrusion then, but I was on my way to my room and could not merely pass you by. You seem a cause for concern in your current state." My brows stitched fiercely across my forehead as I fought back tears, my pride refusing to let her watch them flow. Luckily she seemed more tactful than usual, as she soon added: "Would it be any of my concern if I happened to know where she is?"

I sighed in annoyance, unwilling to give her any information that she could use against Shion or me if she ever deemed it fitting to do so. "I still do not see how it would be of concern to you, but the information would be greatly appreciated. Perhaps you could part with it with only the knowledge that you did a good deed for two fellow human beings today?" I wasn't even sure if the deed would be good in any reckoning other than its intention, for I was still a mess as to how to go about using the information were she to give it up. "I can see that you are having a rough time and on that basis will I tell you what you want to know. You should be able to find her on the roof. I know this because if she's in the same state that you are in, she would no doubt try to find solace in her mostly secret sanctuary. Now I beg of you to not reveal your source if you do happen to find her there, and thus proving me right. I have suffered enough of a fall from my senpai's good graces this year and do not wish to incur a further crash and burn. It can be our little secret, seeing as how secrets seem to be the theme of the evening. Now I will bid you good luck and take my leave. I truly do hope I have done something that will be received in a positive light, depending on the outcome. However, I am strangely confident. Your energy is intriguing tonight and I am sure that Shion-san will find it likewise... How do I put it - intoxicating?" She winked at me then, knowingly, and although it made me uncomfortable I was still ever grateful to her for being so accommodating. Perhaps there was hope for her yet.

* * *

_She just might get you lost_

_And she just might leave you torn_

_But she just might save your soul_

_If she gets you_

_When she gets you any closer_

* * *

She was leaning against the short wall that served as the final barricade between the roof and the few story drop. Her back was turned to me and I was amazed at how angelic she seemed with the moonlight cascading down her flowing blonde locks. Why did I have to now all of a sudden develop such frivolous emotions? But that was a lie and I knew it. It had always been difficult for me to distinguish between passionate hate and passionate infatuation. Is that what I've been reduced to, now that we had nothing left to fight about? An infatuated fool? I moved closer wearily, yet not stealthily enough to hide my presence as it was not my intention. I did, however, linger enough to give her time to become accustomed to my presence, as well as time to decide whether she would humour my intrusion. "And now? Scared I might throw you off?" She was referring to my hesitation where I stood and the question, as rhetorical as it might be, made me feel silly and self-conscious. "Maybe. Is that your plan?" I attempted to make a joke, but I could feel I had failed at it. "Why don't you come closer and find out?" She turned around to meet my gaze as she delivered her challenge and I wondered if the rivalry between us would ever completely fade. She was always confident when she was in a challenging mood and her body language displayed the same thing as she leaned back comfortably against the wall and folded her arms loosely across her chest.

"Shion... I'm sorry." I sighed the words heavily into the cool atmosphere and closed the rest of the distance between us. "I have wrongly offended you and I did not mean to. I've just been so..." She interrupted me and finished my sentence with a questioning tone when she asked, "Confused?" I knew it was obvious, but was it obvious to her exactly why confusion was messing with me so much? Perhaps she could see it in my eyes, as I watched her features soften and her head tilt slightly to the side. "So am I, Miyuki. I'm not proud of my behaviour downstairs just now, but... I felt a certain sense of pain when you turned away from me. You know exposing myself is never easy for me, and with you it's even more difficult." The arms that were folded across her chest in challenge now moved to rather hug herself in comfort and to serve as a barrier against the cold.

"Then perhaps, as a show of good faith, I should expose myself to you in return." I sucked in as much air as my lungs would allow, gathering my strength and composure before I slowly continued. "I have been struggling with emotions that are foreign to me, emotions that I want nothing more than to act on, bit for many reasons I feel that I can't." We both knew by now what I was referring to and the disappointment and embarrassment was clearly displayed in her face. "Miyuki, don't..." I held up my hand so that she would allow me to finish, but because of her interruption I cut to the chase. "I am betrothed, Shion." The words choked me, blocked the passage of air in my throat and made me grimace in pain. I couldn't believe that I had just told her that. It really had been a messy day. She simply stared at me for what felt like an eternity and I could feel myself shrinking into a scared little girl under her gaze. I couldn't read her, but I figured that it could not be good. "Maybe some things will make more sense to you now?" My voice cracked and I had to turn my head and look away in order to regain my composure, but that's when I felt an impossibly warm hand slip into mine. I looked back up at her with confusion and turmoil now lightly trickling down my cheeks, searching for some form of understanding. What I found, however, seemed more like pity, which was the last thing I wanted. "No, don't..." I pulled away from her touch and turned my back on her, furiously wiping the tears away. "Don't feel sorry for me. I don't want you, of all people, to feel sorry for me."

I took a deep breath and calmed myself down when she gently placed her hand on my shoulder. It took me a few minutes of silence; that heavy kind of silence that you feel you could cut with a knife, but I finally allowed myself to lift my hand and gingerly cover hers. It was torture. I wanted more, but at the same time I didn't think I'd be able to bear it. Why did it all have to be so damn hard? "Miyuki, look at me." She gently turned me around again and there was pain in her eyes. "I don't pity you. I'm sad. I'm sad that such a thing should stand in the way of much needed and welcomed change. I'm not asking you for anything that you're not willing to give and I expect even less. My hopes end with friendship. A friendship that has been long overdue. Accept me as that, in that regard, and you would make me as happy as I could possibly be at this very moment." She spoke so beautifully, but her words left me confused once more. Was friendship all she really wanted? Was I assuming that she had possibly wanted more due to my own wants? I wanted so much, so much more than should be allowed under the circumstance. Yet, I had to settle for this, right here, the offer so tenderly made. "You had me as a friend already when I saw you by the lake, the rest were mere formalities." I smiled at her, pained but genuinely, and I seized the offer with a hug as tight as she would allow.

It felt like the most natural thing on earth, seizing the blonde beauty in my arms. It was a perfect fit, only proven true when she let her arms fold around me in turn. Her chin hooked over my shoulder with ease and I could hear her breathing next to my ear. I could feel my heart's familiar racing increase, but I quickly became aware of a second racing heart drumming against my chest, this one from the outside. Was she feeling what I was feeling? I swear I could hear the electricity crackle, especially when her hand played down my spine, pressing gently as if trying to feel the skin beneath my uniform. My own hand slid up her back unwittingly and soon my fingers went their own course, tickling up the back of her neck before getting lost in her hair. Breathing became an increasingly difficult task, but not just for me, judging by the warm air caressing my anxious ear in small gusts.

**When I drew my fingers back to my face they were entangled in a mess of golden tresses, as refined as silk and smelling faintly of apples and sunshine. I had no idea what I was doing right then, but I couldn't help myself. I wanted her. I needed her. I craved her like a hungry wolf craves the fresh flesh of a bloody deer. She pulled back from our friendly embrace, but I could find no friendship in her eyes. Instead the darkness they held explained in perfect silence that I was most definitely not alone in my amorous impulse.****  
**  
No more words were needed right then. The silence enveloped us in a protective cloak that allowed us to act upon our desires. I shed my fears and concerns of what was right and wrong and let myself be guided by the electricity. It compelled me, demanded me to do that which I had wanted to do not only all day, but all six years that I've known this girl. My fingers moved from her hair to her cheek as I held her gaze, my thumb brushing gently over the blushing skin. I saw her tongue dart briefly from her mouth to wet her lips in anticipation, but little did she know just how enticing the gesture was. I finally lifted her chin slightly and drew her lips to mine, and so we drank from one another until we quenched our thirst. It was an impossibly perfect moment captured in time. While all the world stood still, we melted into each other under the falling sky, the stars crashing down around us. Where her hands travelled, my skin would burn under the fabric of my dress, and where my hands wandered, her body would tremble. We were both the instrument and the musician, playing each other in passionate abandon. What started off tenderly had quickly evolved into a hunger that needed to be sated and not a mere thirst that was easily quenched.

We pulled ourselves from the kiss with effort and watched each other breathlessly, my chest rising and falling with laboured effort alongside hers. My lips were tingling as they tried to adjust from the searing hot mouth of my companion to the cool evening air, though my hands refused to adjust to any other surface other than that which belonged to her. While the one held onto the curve of her one hip, the other played along her jaw, aching to pull her close once again. Yet I resisted, swallowing down my deepening urges, waiting for her to move, waiting for some form of confirmation that would let me know that this was not a mistake. At least not right now. She remained silent, but not still, and let her moves do the talking for her. One of her hands progressed upwards to seize mine and slowly guided it to her lips where she gingerly kissed my fingertips. I was hypnotised, as it seemed that her every move was performed with such entrancing precision that it had to be the work of something unearthly. Another kiss, another finger, and another, and another… Her eyes never wandered from mine in all this time and I could not help but notice how her gaze grew darker and darker. I could have sworn that there was an animal hiding behind those eyes. "Come what may, but let tonight belong to us…" She dropped her gaze for the second or two that she spoke, nervous perhaps in fear of my response. I could barely stand, never mind react! The slightest dumbfounded nod was all I could muster, but luckily it was all she had needed to take my hand and lead me away.

* * *

_She leads you up, points out skylines and stars_

_Steeple chases in bars and took your keys_

_And demanded that you stay_

_The city longs well for_

_Rooftops and invitations_

_All lace in secret places_

_She moves you to touch with her hands_

* * *

Shion's room was to be filled with many things that night; the faint glowing light from a single candle was the first to be noted. The candle stood atop her desk, close to the window where the slight breeze made it dance and flicker. It was amazing how the hindrance only made it seem so much stronger, made it seem to grow so much bigger. The little lick of light was gentle, yet oh so powerful.

Shion's fingers were nimble, experiencing no formidable resistance from the buttons, clasps and zippers that held my archaic uniform onto my body. I watched her rapt expression as she freed the final one and let my heavy burden slide down to pool around my feet, her blush perhaps as bright as mine. She would not leave me at arm's length too long and her return allowed me access to her own uniform which was at least easier to get rid of. Yet, I made it painfully difficult for myself as I zealously pushed her up against her door and demanded further access to her deliciously warm mouth, capturing her lips over and again, making sure that I undoubtedly claimed them as my property.

I wanted to claim not only Shion's lips, but all of her as my property. I wanted to climb her mountain and plant my flag. I wanted to settle down and build my kingdom in her valley. I wanted to give birth to a nation on her rich soil and inspire them to worship her as their goddess, as she was my goddess. I wanted to wage wars in her glory and I wanted to thrive on her riches. I wanted to pledge my undying allegiance to her cause and protect her with my life. I wanted to grow old in her comforting embrace and be buried in her earth. I wanted to stay here, like this, forever.

'Here' became a relative term as we moved about her bed, swimming in a sea of sheets and pillows. Just when I felt as if I would drown, she came along and plucked me from the depths and breathed new life into me. Her arms held me protectively as she kissed my head, my face, my shoulders and my throat, blazing a trail slowly upwards and along the side of my neck where she would soon find sustenance and nibble on my ear. She fed from me, devoured my body inch by inch as her hunger remained as ravenous as her actions. I gave into her and allowed her to exact her will upon me, too raptured to protest in the slightest.

She made my body sing and sang along with her own tongue, her actions and my reactions forming the chorus of the night that was slowly building into a beautiful crescendo. The band was present in its entirety and working in furious union to produce the peak of the song: hearts drumming their intense beat, legs stroking their own strings while fingers played their powerful keys. She finally forced my back into an arch as I produced the final note, singing my praises in honour of my conductress, then fell back to the matrass in a breathless mess. Our sweaty limbs remained tangled as she kept me close and lulled me to sleep with her soft whispers of sweet nothings.

* * *

_Under the cool sheet_

_Where the welcomed touch_

_Of skin and skin will meet_

_Out on the inside_

_Where the girl's prize_

_Is at the tip of your tongue_

_Where every move_

_And each impulse brings clarity_

_To stay like this_

_Is everything you will ever need_

* * *

When I woke it was alone and I felt cold in the wake of such a heated nightly endeavour. I was naked still as I lay sprawled beneath the perfectly white sheet that seemed to be draped over my body with precise intention, as it covered just enough to preserve my barest modesty. I blinked at the glare of the sun filtering through the window and glanced about me in sleepy confusion. My uniform had been hung up by a hanger and waited for me on the far wall, a note containing a hasty scrawl pinned to it. I took my time in languidly stretching my body in order to rid it of any residue stiffness brought on by my physical activities from the night before. Every move that I made against the backdrop of such a perfectly tainted bed brought back a memory that irrevocably caused my loins to burn. I wanted to go back to those moments and relive them for the rest of my life.

The note had told me to get dressed and make sure that I would not be late in joining my ice queen for breakfast in the dining hall, yet I still had to rush to get there just in time. As I stepped into the hall I dared several a glance and a smile at the familiar faces seated about in random formation, but even more random was the table I was to seat myself at. Shion was joined in company by the ever perceptive Chikaru, as well as Tamao and Nagisa – who had Shizuma naturally attached to her side, along with the E'toille couple and their two Spican friends. I took a deep breath and raked my fingers through my hair nervously before making my way to my seat opposite Shion and next to Shizuma at the edge of the table. They all greeted me in turn, distracted mostly by the several conversations bouncing around and too engrossed to notice my discomfort, to my relief. The only greeting I lacked by the time I was seated was that of the golden-haired goddess before me, but a verbal greeting was clearly unnecessary.

A knowing glance. A shy smile. A faint blush. My heart drummed its familiar nervous beat in her presence and my hands turned clammy once more.

* * *

_She just might get you lost_

_And she just might leave you torn_

_But she just might save your soul_

_If she gets you_

_When she gets you any closer_

_Can you believe your eyes?_


End file.
